Proof.

I have been working for about two 1/2 weeks now, it has been interesting. It is your everyday, repetitive, time wasting job with a few lessons and surprises. I find that if I keep my eyes and ears open I am learning a lot from an experience I am not really into. When I say situation, I mean working at this little resturaunt that doesn't see many customers so it tends to be rather boring. So far, I have had some interesting run ins with some interesting people.

I met Irvin. He is a smart man. He is also lonely. He makes an appearance to The Grill at least once a day. I don't believe I have ever met someone who loves to talk as much as Irvin. He talks about things he knows -- he knows a lot. He loves going to local ballgames that the kids in our community are involved in. He has a kid, but he is unable to see her, for reasons I am unaware of. He talks a bunch... I think I may have mentioned that. Even though sometimes it's not the most fun I have ever had, I like to hear him talk, in all of his rambling he brings up good points about life and all that it consists of. In talking to me, I mentioned that I attend MACU and he was very excited to hear this. Of course he asked me what my major and minor was and what my goals for school was. I didnt have too much to tell him, I am very unsure about the path God has for me. So, what I am trying to get at is, even though someone may get on the last nerve you think you might have, they are put in your life to make you think, come to realizations or just to push you to the next level of something. In this case, Irvin made me think -- and pray. I came home and me and God had a talk about how I don't know what I am to do for him in my life. It was good to let God know my insecurities and to just put things in His hands. I am fairly sure He will show me :)

Truck drivers. Or at least one in particular; I don't know his name, but he made an impact. I hope I can always live in anticipation, I don't want to miss the significance of the moments and the purpose of people that come in and out of my life. So, this truck driver... he ordered just like any other customer and as I take his money he asks me, very boldly, "are you a missionary?" I kind of laughed nervously and didn't really answer him, instead I asked him why he was asking. He replied, "I am speaking spirit to spirit." My initial response was, "have you been talking to Irvin?" He said he didn't know any Irvin, but that he felt that he had that question laid on his heart. I expected him to be some sort of minister, but alas, he is a truck driver. I am not saying that this mans purpose was to tell me directly to become a missionary, but I do think that he had some sort of purpose dealing with what I should do and keeping my options open. Random people are some proof that God really is.

Now, not every encounter is awesome. I definitely got stalked for about 3 days. Louis is from mexico and he is probably in his late 30s, early 40s and he was super into me. The only reason I was creeped out was b/c of his overwhelming persistance. The last day he came in, he came in twice. The first time he stayed for about an hour 1/2. In this time he got 4 refills on his tea and each time I turned around to give him his drink back, he had his camera phone out trying to take pictures of me. Later on that day, I told him that I was not going to go out with him and that I wasn't going to ever call him. This was a harsh tactic, I know, but I tried the soft rejection already. Some people just don't get it.

So, work is interesting for the most part. I am meeting the people I have grown up around for years and years that I have just never known, along with some people I have never seen and will never see again. It is kind of cool. I suppose I will keep the good experiences in mind and just laugh at the things that are less than amazing.

God is with you.

Katie Cooper